Thursday, April 26, 2012

i have been meaning to make this recipe a while ago but just now got around to actually

doing instead of thinking.

have you ever seen the movie pineapple express? i have. 50% of the movie twice - i kept falling asleep halfway through at the same point in the movie each time. i can't really explain why, it certainly wasn't the lack humor or entertainment factor, because it was definitely was humorous. anyways,

i do have a point here, these cupcakes are named in honor of the movie.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

cold, rainy days are perfect for snuggling with kitty, a cup of tea alongside a good book & chunky cable knit throw and cozy comfort food. the kind of comfort food that wraps around you like a big hug.

growing up we use to eat Kraft mac n' cheese like it was going out of style.

my mac n' cheeze tastes have grown up a bit. i love pureeing different veggies and using them as the base for my mac n' cheeze. in the fall/winter i usually use some type of winter squash - roasted butternut or delicata being my favorite two. being fresh out of winter squash & frozen bisque's i needed to improvise.

it was raining this past Sunday and i was craving baked mac n' cheeze - who was the super hero of the weekend? sweet potato. sweet potato saved the day and proved to be an awesome mac n' cheeze all star.

Friday, April 20, 2012

every year i look forward to the freshness & renewed energy spring brings to the garden, neighbors and table. the first beautiful day of spring everyone walks about town with huge smiles on their faces. spring is a happy time - who doesn't like happiness?

this sweet treat reminds me of spring- full of goodness & happiness.

to simply put it, coconut quinoa pudding topped with sliced almonds, chia & wild blueberries puts a smile on my face much like the first day of spring does.

Monday, April 16, 2012

becoming a vegetarian - no way to hard. fast forward 6 years later , it had become second nature - a way of life.

taking the leap over to veganism - out the question, life would be so hard without eggs and cheese. 2 years from when that statement was made i find myself flourishing on a whole foods plant based diet and loving it.

gluten free vegan cooking & baking - wow, you have to be some kind of super hero to conquer that one. come to find out, like with most things you just need to be open, aware and willing to try new techniques. having a few mentors and inspirational bloggers along the way such as Cara from fork & beans, Caitlin from the vegan chickpea and Richa from hobby & more helps too.

inspired by a few of my favorite gluten free vegan bloggers i have ventured into the wonderful world of gluten free vegan, i figured i would take it for a test drive. and you know what, it is a pretty wonderful ride (sorry for the awful comparison, i had too)

Friday, April 13, 2012

I am so excited to share with you one of my favorite blogs & bloggers out there - Cara from Fork & Beans is absolutely amazing, she has invited Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes over for a visit during her "people you should know" fridays, what she doesn't tell you is she is the person you should absolutely get to know - you won't regret it. So head on over to Fork & Beans to check out the latest ffrom SMBP!

...make sure you check out all the gluten free vegan goodies Cara whips up on an almost daily basis - you will have to lift your jaw up off the keyboard only after a glance of what she has to offer.

Monday, April 9, 2012

this was my first full fledged gluten free baking adventure, all in all it went pretty well. there were a couple "uh - oh is that what it is suppose to look like?" moments - in the end everything worked out ...and tasted good!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

today is a very special day - you are about to meet the most amazing person. my little sister, sarah is one of the funniest, compassionate and inspiring people out there. she makes everyone around her want ot be a better person, including me. this year she has been through an incredible personal journey - she actually created a blog to share her story with others that may be looking for inspiration, support and a good laugh too. i have asked her over to sunday morning banana pancakes to share a part of her story and one of her original recipes. i would loveif you headed over to My Big Fat Blog and see for yourself what an amazing & beautiful sister i am lucky to have.

Monday, April 2, 2012

i can safely say before going vegan that i have ever had a meatball sub.

meatball pizza - yes! (the best one around was from the old corner deli)

i was introduced to the world of "meatball" subs by Justin. we use to make them fairly often on Saturday nights at the beginning of our relationship.

efforts are being made to avoid "mock meats", they just don't seem to agree with me any longer.

the other day, after seeing a pin for a meatball sub a little craving started to form, then it was all i could think about. my mission this weekend: to create my own tasty "meatball" sub. i consider this the grown up version of an all American favorite.